Riccardo Massi

Tenore

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Riccardo Massi to return to the Bolshoi Theatre as Des Grieux

On October 25, 2017, Riccardo Massi will return to the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow as Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut, almost one year to the day since he made his role debut at the same opera house. The production is by Adolf Shapiro and Anton Grishanin will conduct the three performances running through October 29. He will share the stage with Ainhoa Arteta in the title role, Igor Golovatenko as Lescaut and Alexander Naumenko as Geronte de Ravoir.

Riccardo Massi has developed a special affinity with this part, having also sung it in a new production at the Berlin State Opera in December 2016. “The role of Des Grieux is possibly the most difficult part in the ‘lirico spinto’ tenor repertoire”, admits the Italian tenor. “Whilst the first scene is written for an ample lyrical voice, already in the duo which concludes the first act the singing takes on a new dimension. From his second act entry onwards his singing expresses a mounting and never ending despair which leads him through the third act and culminates in ‘Pazzo Son’. The fourth act is the fitting and tragic end to the story. The young “cavaliere” is a typical Puccini hero: an idealist willing to face every possible adversity, including the loss of his wealth and social status and even death, for love. His purity makes it impossible not to feel a very strong connection with him; from a dramatic and theatrical point of view a character who tries to achieve something whatever the cost never fails to elicit sympathy from the audience, and even more from the interpreter himself.”